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Riley to return to sidelines when Heat visit Rockets

Feb 21, 2007 - 4:17 PM Miami (26-26) at Houston (33-19) 9:00 pm EST

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Coach Pat Riley hopes another midseason return to the sidelines results in a second consecutive championship for the Miami Heat.

After taking a 22-game leave of absence for health reasons, Riley is scheduled to be back on the bench for the Heat, who attempt to win for the eighth time in nine games when they face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

The third-winningest coach in NBA history (1,177), Riley won his fifth title as a coach last season after replacing Stan Van Gundy on December 12, 2005.

This season, he took a leave of absence on January 3 to undergo operations on his knee and hip.

Miami was 13-9 under acting coach Ron Rothstein and started to gain some momentum prior to the All-Star break because All-Star Shaquille O'Neal returned after sitting out 32 contests following knee surgery.

O'Neal scored 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting in his 11th career All-Star Game on Sunday. Reigning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Dwyane Wade also had 10 points for the East.

Miami has had seven days off since its last contest - a 104-85 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers on February 13. Wade scored 35 points and Udonis Haslem added 12 as the Heat shot nearly 56 percent (44-of-79) from the floor.

Houston won four of its last six contests prior to the break and is in third place in the Southwest Division, 10 1/2 games behind the Dallas Mavericks.

The league's top defensive team (90.3), the Rockets would lead the Atlantic Division by 4 1/2 games and would be tied for first with the Detroit Pistons in the Central.

Houston managed just 12 third-quarter points in its last game, an 80-77 loss to the Mavericks last Thursday. Tracy McGrady, who had 11 assists in the All-Star Game, led the Rockets with 27 points and 10 assists.

The Rockets captured the first meeting against the Heat this season, 94-72, on November 12.